


Flirting is Foreign to Me

by mggislife2789



Category: Criminal Minds, Spencer Reid - Fandom
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 10:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11621475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)





	Flirting is Foreign to Me

“God, he’s so cute Pen, what am I supposed to do?” you whined quietly. What had it been? Eight months since you joined the Bureau? Each and every day you struggled with whether or not to say something, or more accurately, whether or not to try and overcome your unbearable awkwardness. You did not flirt, but Spencer didn’t flirt even more than you, so if anything was going to happen it was going to have to be on you to start things.

Penelope just did her little happy dance, her smile as wide as the skies, while you pined away for the BAU’s resident Boy Genius. “You are supposed to flirt with him,” she said happily. In the eight months you’d been here, you and Penelope had become exceptionally close, and she of course, loved every member of her team to pieces, so naturally she wanted to play matchmaker. “Go over there and strut your stuff. With that beautiful smile, those shining eyes and that brilliant brain and personality of yours, there’s no way that Spencer will be able to resist you.”

“Pen,” you said, blushing furiously, “There’s something you’re not realizing…I don’t strut. I can’t flirt. I’m awful at it.”

With a shrug, she turned you around and whispered in your ear. “If we weren’t at work, I would give you a shot of liquid courage, but alas, we are here, so,” she said with a push, “Just go for it.”

You started to walk over to Spencer’s desk, taking in the waviness of his soft brown locks as he tilted his head up to smile at you. That smile. It gave you butterflies that threatened to burst forth from your stomach at a moment’s notice.

Nope. Couldn’t do it.

A small smile and a shy wave were all you could muster as you detoured sharply to the right and back to your desk. When you turned around to see Penny, she was glaring at you, cutting her eyes. You were going to hear it later.

But…FLIRTING WAS SO HARD!

What if he didn’t like you like that? Then you just put yourself out there for nothing. Exception rejection. Which sucked.

As you sat down at your desk, you hung your head in your hands and took a deep breath. Another day.

—–

Okay, so that other day that you mentioned, took nearly another month to occur. But today was it, today was the day you were going to put yourself out there, the day you were going to put your heart on your sleeve and hope Spencer didn’t crush it into teeny, tiny pieces. Bile rose in your throat. “Nope, I can do this.” you said to yourself. “It’s fine. I’m good.”

This was going to be easier because it was first thing in the morning and you and Spencer were the only two members of the BAU in yet, except Hotch. You were 99% sure he lived here, but while you and Spencer were outside and both heading toward the coffee machine, Hotch was still in his office, as always. “Hey, Spence,” you said, a smiling spreading across your face. The movement felt so forced, but you were going to try anyway. “How’re you?” As you passed him to grab some coffee, you grazed his arm - not muscled but toned. 

“I-I’m okay,” he started. When his eyes met yours, he blushed and looked away. Why were you both so awkward? Why was this so hard? “What about you?”

You told him you weren’t too bad - that you wished you didn’t have to come in today because you were in the middle of a really good book. “Really?” He asked, his head snapping up with all the awkwardness vanished from him. “What are you reading? I’m been re-reading War and Peace in the original Russian recently.”

Spencer really did have it all. At least in your opinion. He was cute, intelligent, sweet - everything you’d ever wanted. Flirt dammit, flirt. “I definitely can’t read in any other languages, or read as fast as you, but right now I’m in the middle of reading a friend’s medical research. Something to take the edge off of work.”

“That takes the edge off of work?” He laughed. “I usually watch Doctor Who if I want to distract myself from work.”

This was your in.

“Maybe we can watch together some time,” you said, hoping that the offer didn’t sound like it was choked out - because that’s definitely the way it felt. “I mean, o-only if you want to, of course.” You looked down, feeling the heated blush crawl up your entire body. The temptation to turn around and walk away was overwhelming, but you stood your ground and forced yourself to look up at him again.

Spencer’s eyes flashed with a look of recognition, as if he just realized that you might be interested in him. “I-I would l-like that a lot,” he said. “The new season doesn’t start for a while though.”

That was true. You hadn’t thought of that. What else could you suggest that would make him realize you were interested in him? “Well, I know there’s this new old-school arcade going up in the center of town. It’s set to open in two weeks. You wanna go? With me?”

“You really want me to go with you?” He asked.

Your cheeks were blushing fiercely, your skin taking on a searing heat. “I d-do,” you started, swallowing hard while you tried to form the words in your throat. “I’m no good at flirting Spencer, but I like you - a lot - and I would love to get to know you - on more of a romantic level.” Okay, it was out there now. Grabbing your cup of coffee, you spun around and quickly walked back to your desk.

“Y/N?” Spencer came up to your desk after about ten minutes, having returned from the cafeteria to leave your favorite blueberry muffin on your desk. “This is for you. And…I would like to get to know you too. Does…does that mean we have a date in two weeks?”

With a chuckle, you placed your hand gently on top of his. “I think it does.”

—–

Two weeks later was your first official date at the arcade. Although since finalizing your plans, you’d texted back and forth with random questions, favorite color, favorite movie, favorite Doctor, all in an effort to learn everything you could about each other. “Okay, I have to do Pac-Man first,” you laughed. “It’s my favorite.”

“Me too,” he smiled, grabbing your hand. His skin had brushed your own in passing before, but this was difficult. A wave of warmth washed over you as you followed him inside. Flirting was completely out of the realm of comfortable for you, but if you hadn’t pushed yourself, then you wouldn’t be reveling in this comfortable feeling right now.


End file.
